Black Sun
by theofficialvbrasic
Summary: Two years have passed since the start of the war and a lot has changed. Ichigo didn't think he'd ever see Rukia again, and vice versa. But then, they're assigned to protect a small town in the continental US - Forks. Enter the Cullens and Bella. Set during Eclipse in the Twilight timeline. Set during the Holy War, in the Bleach timeline.
1. First Sight

**Disclaimer: **As always, I don't own BLEACH or Twilight.

**Notes:**

_Flashbacks are in italics._

_**Thoughts which Edward reads are in bold and italicized.**_

Set during Eclipse (follows the story closely in the beginning then branches away towards the end).

**–**

**I. First Sight**

**–**

Kurosaki Ichigo sighed as Rukia called out to him for the hundredth (or maybe it was the thousandth – he had lost count), time. "We're going to be late!"

Glancing at the clock, he grunted. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. It certainly wasn't a good idea to show up late on the first day of school, especially when said school was in a different country than he was normally used to – America; where he'd been stationed. To be more precise, he'd been assigned to Forks, Washington – one of the rainiest places he'd been too. Sure, Japan had its fair share of precipitation, (not to mention the occasional earthquake and tsunami), but Forks was something else.

Since he'd arrived, it hadn't stopped raining. 'I hate the rain...'

"Ichigo! We need to go!"

He sighed for the umpteenth time. Sometimes, Rukia could be a real mystery to him. He didn't understand how someone could be so eager to attend school. Although, he figured it had something to do with the fact that she didn't exactly attend school often. It was more of an anomaly where she was concerned; an anomaly where he was concerned. He smirked. There would be plenty of time to ditch class another day at his new school. With him, skipping was almost guaranteed...

"_Miss Ochi! I need to use the bathroom!"_

"Ichigo! Seriously, do I need to come up and drag you down here! I know it's been a while but I won't hesitate to kick your ass, you do know that right?" Ichigo smiled, even though a lot had changed in the past two years, some things really never did change.

"Sorry!" he shouted. "I'm on my way!" Quickly tugging a windbreaker over his 'Nice Vibe' shirt, Ichigo made his way downstairs. Rukia rolled her eyes as she heard him trudge slowly down the steps. 'Finally...'

"There you are," she said. "It's about time..."

"Sorry," Ichigo apologized again. "I was just thinking. We can go now."

Rukia smiled slightly – no doubt he was reminiscing about old times. It was so like him to do corny things like that. At the heart of it all, beyond the tough exterior and even tougher interior, he was a softie. 'You haven't changed at all...'

She'd been worried he would have... 'Especially af–'

"Oi!" Ichigo scowled at her. "The fuck! First you hurry my ass down here and then, when I say I'm ready to go, you stare off into the distance smiling!"

"Shut up!" Rukia huffed. "I called you fifty-seven times! What the hell were you doing up there? Because you sure as hell weren't taking a bath! You know, you really should take your mission a little more seriously – whatever it is I mean... the guard don't kid around." Rukia looked down. "If they sent you here, then something important must be here."

Ichigo stared at Rukia for a long moment before nodding. "Yeah. You're probably right..."

There was a pause, and then, "I'll get the car started. Ichigo, you should eat something before joining me. But make it quick."

And she was gone. Ichigo made his way over to the kitchen's island, grabbed an apple from a fruit bowl, and exhaled slowly before following Rukia out the door and into their car. 'Geez... this guard business is troublesome...'

–

Edward Cullen smiled as Bella pulled into the parking lot of Forks High School in her rusty (but very trusty, as Bella had put it once), red truck. He rolled his eyes – only Bella could pull that truck off, as stubborn as she was in claiming it to have personality. He wished she'd just let him buy her a new car; maybe a nice BMW I8 or Audi TT – maybe an Aston Martin Vanquish V12 to match his own. Maybe he'd get Alice to persuade Bella.

_**Yellow**_, Alice thought immediately, and he chuckled. "Deal," he muttered quietly enough for only her to hear. "You get Bella to let me buy her a new car and I'll get you a yellow Veyron."

_**You know, Edward... You really shouldn't make promises you can't keep. I'm still waiting for my Porsche.**_ Edward grinned. He would make good on that promise... Bella's scent assaulted his nose and he looked up.

"Hey," she smiled.

"Hey," he grinned back. "Good morning Bella."

"So..." she prompted.

"So," he smiled back. "Charlie ungrounded you. That's perfect... Because I was thinking that maybe you and I could go on a hike this weekend to our meadow."

Her smile grew. "Okay, sure." Edward didn't know how he'd gotten so lucky. She was perfect. Bella blushed at Edwards dazzling smile and his smile only grew.

"Great. I'll pick you up at nine."

_**Gee**_**z**, Emmett thought, _**get a room guys. The sexual tension here is too much for us to bear. We all know you two want to have some good sex. Why don't you just ditch and attend to your business. Rose and I do. **_

"Emmett," whispered Edward in warning. _**Sorry bro. I'm just saying, I mean – **_

_**Whoa, check it out. **_Edward frowned as Emmett broke off his initial thought. _**Nice car, huh bro. **_And surely enough, everyone's thoughts were directed towards a previously unknown car which had pulled into the parking lot – especially because it wasn't the type of car one would come across in the Forks High School parking lot. Besides the Cullens, nobody drove anything which could be considered remotely nice-looking.

Edward appraised the car. It wasn't what he'd consider top-of-the-line, but it was better than what most of his peers drove – a new Mazda MX-5 in black with tinted windows. _**A new student? New students? **_Alice's thoughts were confused. Had she not seen this coming? _**Edward. I don't know. I didn't see anything. I don't understand. **_Well that answered that question. Edward frowned at the car. Nobody got out. _**Edward**_, Alice thought to him, _**who is it? Can you read their minds?**_

No – he couldn't. He was used to tuning out the incessant yammer of his peers' minds, but he should have picked up on any new thoughts. He tried to focus on the car – on it's occupants (or maybe occupant; that had yet to be decided) – but there was nothing. Edward looked down at Bella who like much of the student population (not excluding the school's vampire population) was staring at the newcomer.

"Well, looks like you aren't the only students with a need for speed anymore," Bella remarked turning around to look at Edward.

"What's wrong?" Bella questioned almost instantly picking up on the tension.

Edward looked at her for a long minute before responding. "These new kids, I can't read their minds. Alice can't see their future. I don't even know if there's two or one. I don't understand."

Bella frowned at the car. "So... are they vampires then maybe?"

"I don't know. I don't think so. I can smell blood."

_**The wolves? **_Alice wondered. It certainly was a possibility. It would explain why Alice couldn't see the future. 'But it doesn't explain why I can't read their minds... or his mind... or her mind... Have the wolves developed a guard against my mind-reading?'

The car door swung open on the right. A second or two passed, and Rukia popped out to be surrounded by a group of curious Forks High School students.

"I like your dress too! It's gorgeous!"

"Why I'd love to go to Port Angeles with you!"

"Sure. I'll have lunch with you!"

Ichigo chuckled from still inside the car as he watched the student population gush over Rukia's schoolgirl act. How they couldn't see past her pitiful acting skills he couldn't understand. Even her tone was fake. 'Well... I guess somethings really don't change...'

The kids in America were the same as those back in Japan, gushing over some shiny new toy. Stepping out of the car, he sighed. He never thought he would be back here. 'High school, huh? Great...'

Luckily for him, most of the student population was occupied with Rukia to annoy him with stupid questions about his hair. Why couldn't they just get that it was natural? Was orange hair really _that_ uncommon? Running a hand through his hair, Ichigo turned to look at the few students who weren't occupied with Rukia. They weren't Bounts as the Guard had worried. They weren't human either (except for the girl with the bronze haired one), but not Bounts.

'Not Bounts,' he texted.

They weren't threats... not as far as he could tell anyways...

'Most likely not a threat. But I'll keep watch.'


	2. Motives

**Disclaimer: **As always, I don't own BLEACH or Twilight.

**Notes:**

_Flashbacks are in italics._

_**Thoughts which Edward reads are in bold and italicized.**_

**Japanese is in bold. Basically when anyone speaks Japanese, text is rendered in bold. The text will be in English, the bold font simply alerts the reader to the fact that whatever is being said is in reality being spoken in Japanese.**

Set during Eclipse (follows the story closely in the beginning then branches away towards the end).

**–**

**II. Motives**

**–**

"Hello, I'm Edward Cullen." Ichigo finished tying the laces on his running shoes and looked up. So, the weirdo was in his PE class. 'Great...' he scowled. 'At least I can keep a close eye on one of them.' Although, where he was concerned, they really didn't seem too harmful – weird as hell, but not dangerous; he didn't think so.

He studied Edward's pale face for a moment and nodded. "Kurosaki Ichigo."

"So, Ichigo is your given name, according to Japanese custom."

"Yeah..." Ichigo turned to leave the change room. "You know, it's nice to meet someone who knows a thing or two."

Edward laughed. "So, I'm guessing that pretty much everyone so far has only been asking about your hair. It's natural right?"

Ichigo nodded again. He didn't blame people for wondering – it was just redundant. After answering the same question a few hundred times it got monotonous. The Cullen kid was weird, but at least he wasn't stupid.

Ichigo held the door open, waiting for Edward. "I'm guessing that being a bit weird isn't new to you though, huh, Cullen..."

"No," Edward agreed.

"Well then," Ichigo said as Edward followed him into the gymnasium from the change-room, "I guess we could be friends maybe then. Seeing as people think we're both weird and all. I mean we have some common ground. So, what do you think about that?"

Edward smiled. "Deal." Things had gone off better than he had been expecting them to. This way, he could keep an eye on the new kid whose mind he couldn't read and whose future Alice couldn't see. He'd been worried. This kid wasn't like the girl – he was more distant, more cautious in what he said, and to whom he spoke. Now, they were friends. That was something. He could watch this strange individual's movements a little bit closer.

'Ichigo Kurosaki...' he wondered. 'What are you? Why did you come to Forks? What do you want he –'

"Mr. Cullen. Mr. Kurosaki," Coach Clapp shouted from center court. "Since you two have been dawdling about in the change-room, why don't you stay behind to make up for lost time. You can help put away the nets."

Ichigo cringed slightly – the last thing he needed was to spend part of his lunch putting away volleyball nets. He had other things to do during his break. He needed to report to the Guard – tell them that he hadn't noticed anything suspicious about the Cullens; tell them that nothing seemed to be brewing in Forks, Washington as they believed there would be. He rubbed the back of his neck bowing his head. "Sorry sir, I just got a little bit lost."

From the corner of his eye, he glanced at Edward who was staring intently at Coach Clapp almost as if trying to read his way out of the situation. "Um. Cullen... Um, Edward I mean, was just helping me find my way which is why he's late as well."

_**Well... in all fairness**_, though Coach Clapp, _**he is a new transfer; new to the school, and new to the country. It must be tough. Nice of Cullen to help him out... They're all so polite... He really doesn't seem like the type to misbehave or cause mischief. **_Edward smiled knowingly. "I apologize for my tardiness sir. I'll be glad to stay after and put away nets if you'd like.

The PE teacher simply waved his hand and walked away. "Don't bother about it Edward, just don't be late again. Oh. And Ichigo..." Ichigo winced at the way Coach Clapp said his name, "Welcome to PE. You can just join a side and um, get to it..." Coach Clapp paused. "You... um... you do know how to play volleyball, right?"

Internally, Ichigo groaned. "Yes sir."

Of course he knew how to play volleyball. Just because he was from Japan didn't mean he didn't know how to play volleyball. "You know," he said, glancing at Edward, "they have the same sports in Japan as they do here. There's just a bit more emphasis on the martial arts aspect than here."

"So you took karate?"

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah..."

"Were you any good?" Edward laughed.

"Pretty good I'd say," smirked Ichigo. Pretty good indeed – strong enough to kick the ass of everyone in the room with a blindfold and one arm tied behind his back. "So, Edward. What do you say we play some volleyball?"

–

Ichigo smirked as he walked to the school's cafeteria. PE had gone off without a hitch. Not only had he wormed his way out of trouble with Coach Clapp, but he had also made friends with the supposed Bount and impressed his new peers with his display of raw strength and agility in volleyball. Not that he cared at all about making an impression – it was more about getting information. That was what the Guard wanted – and the more people he knew, the more easily he could achieve that. Regardless, his gossiping peers were more than likely to know a thing or two about Cullen, and more than likely willing to share their trove of theories surrounding the mystery that was the Cullen clan to anyone who was willing to listen.

"Hey!" Ichigo turned to face the boyish Mike Newton.

"Hello, you're Mike Newton right?"

"Uh, yeah." Mike grinned at him. "And you're the guy who trounced my ass at volleyball right? Future jock huh? You should come have lunch with us."

"Thanks for the offer, Mike," Ichigo replied, "but I have something to do first."

"Um sure, cool... Join us when you're ready!"

The Guard awaited. Coming to a halt at the entrance to the cafeteria, Ichigo pulled out his flip phone of which the only distinguishable feature was a small charm hanging from it in the shape of a skull. It was something Urahara devised. Basically, it was the charm which gave the phone its ability to communicate with those in other dimensions. 'Remove the charm,' Ichigo thought, 'and it becomes a normal phone.' It was perfect. If at any point someone asked to use his phone or search it for suspicious material, all he would have to do would be to remove the charm.

'Better yet,' Ichigo added as an afterthought, 'I should probably keep the charm with me, and stick it on the phone only when I need to contact someone. That way, if someone jacks my phone... it'd be useless to them...'

Secrecy was a mandate when working for the Guard. Hell, even Rukia didn't know what his assignment was. The entire Guard didn't even know what his assignment was. It was an old military tactic he had learned about. The idea behind which was if if a man defected or was tortured into revealing important information, he or she wouldn't know enough to seriously endanger the Guard.

On this particular assignment, Katashi was to be his contact. He was the only other individual who knew about his duties in Forks besides himself. Of course, he was free to contact anyone else – on the basis that he wouldn't divulge any information about his mission to anyone but Katashi. Ichigo sighed. 'Geez... that guy's a pain in the ass... Always so stuck-up and cold and serious...'

But he didn't have a choice. If he held off any longer, the Guard would become suspicious – assume that something had happened to him; maybe even assume he'd defected. So he dialed the prick's number.

One ring, two rings, three rings, four ri–

"**Kurosaki, I've been waiting to hear from you." **Katashi's was cold – unfriendly. Ichigo groaned internally. 'He's more pissed than he usually is... Dammit.'

"**Kurosaki," **Katashi's voice cut in from the other end of the line, **"perhaps you have time to waste dawdling about. However, I do not. So please just give me your report and we can both go back to enjoying our time away from each other."**

Ichigo scowled. **"Geez, is it so hard for you to say hello?"**

"**Yes. Because quite frankly it's a waste of time. Please stop this childish bickering and get on with it. Your report. I'm waiting."**

Ichigo's scowl deepened. **"Yeah. Right... Well for starters, the Cullens aren't Bounts as far as I can tell... Their reishi signatures don't match the reishi signatures of the Bounts. Not even a close resemblance."**

"**Are they or are they not a threat?"**

"**No, they're not human. But they don't seem dangerous. Their reiatsu levels are too low. They don't have enough to be able to see ghosts even."**

There was a pause on the Katashi's end. **"You've seen the readings Kurosaki." **He had seen the readings. They had received the report a week ago. There had been several readings of reiatsu fluctuations in Forks. There would be a spike of reiatsu and then nothing. **"Kurosaki..."**

"**I don't know what they are, Katashi, but it's not the Cullens, I don't think..."**

"**Then what?" **Katashi remarked. **"Then what is it, pray tell."**

"**I don't kn-" **Ichigo's eyes widened as he snapped his phone shut. "What the hell!" he muttered. "What the hell is this?"

Sure, Katashi would be pissed with him later, but there were more pressing matters at hand.

'This reiatsu... just what the hell is it?'

**–**

**A/N: **I don't normally do author's notes. However, I'd like to clarify that most of this story was developed before we were introduced to the Royal Guard in the manga so continuity is thrown shot out the window. That does not mean however, that I will not respect and stay true to some recent events in the manga – just not all of them.


	3. Turn Back the Pendulum I

****Disclaimer: ****As always, I don't own BLEACH or Twilight.

****Notes:****

_Flashbacks are in italics._

**_**Thoughts which Edward reads are in bold and italicized.**_**

****Japanese is in bold. Basically when anyone speaks Japanese, text is rendered in bold. The text will be in English, the bold font simply alerts the reader to the fact that whatever is being said is in reality being spoken in Japanese.****

Set during Eclipse (follows the story closely in the beginning then branches away towards the end).

****Disclaimer:**** As always, I don't own BLEACH or Twilight.

****Notes:****

_Flashbacks are in italics._

**_**Thoughts which Edward reads are in bold and italicized.**_**

****Japanese is in bold. Basically when anyone speaks Japanese, text is rendered in bold. The text will be in English, the bold font simply alerts the reader to the fact that whatever is being said is in reality being spoken in Japanese.****

Set during Eclipse (follows the story closely in the beginning then branches away towards the end).

**– **

****III. ********Turn Back the Pendulum I (Cheshire Cat Blues)****

**– **

Rukia frowned as she unlocked the door of her temporary, but far from humble abode. Ichigo had told her that the guard had connections everywhere, (and she supposed that given the circumstances, having connections everywhere was probably a good thing). 'Because,' she thought as the lock clicked open, 'the war was everywhere now.'

And by everywhere, she didn't just mean the world of the living.

If she'd been astounded by the diversity in the world of the living, it was nothing on how astounded she was to discover that there were other worlds. It was as if when the Soul King had been struck down by Ichigo's blade, that, (almost as though a door had been unlocked), a myriad of different realities, and worlds had come flooding through whatever gate had been kept sealed, colliding with their own worlds.

She wondered if the worlds had ever been their own. Because the Ajanlar had known about the world of the living, the existence of a soul society, and yet not of the existence of a king. And then she wondered, sitting down on the couch idly looking through old messages on her phone, if the King could be called the Soul King.

The Soul King was more a keeper of realities; a keeper of worlds; a keeper of stability. Urahara had described it as the lynchpin, without which worlds would begin to crumble. He had been right. It had been stupid to ever doubt him. He knew more than the guard knew. But that was fair; because that guard which Ywach had defeated weren't really the true guard. They were more elite warriors who resided with the King, Ichigo had explained. They were a branch of the true guard, but not remotely close to being the only members.

It was a vast network. Correspondents were everywhere – on Earth, with the Ajanlar. 'Hell!' she thought, 'Even hell has correspondents.' The guard were keepers of stability too. And to keep stability, they had spread out everywhere. It hadn't come as a surprise when Ichigo told her that he didn't know all the other members. Only the ones he'd ever met. She wondered, gazing vaguely up at the large flat screen television, if he was with one of them now just as she heard the door unlock with a click for the second time that evening.

"Yo," Ichigo called from the hallway, "I'm back." They didn't have to speak in English, but he figured it was good practice, given that they'd be living in Forks for a while...

She snorted. "Thanks. I was just wondering if the boogeyman was coming to get me."

Ichigo rolled his eyes, stepping into his slippers and then into the living room. "You don't know what a boogeyman is, stupid.

He was met with a glare and he'd known Rukia long enough to know that she'd kick his ass if he didn't shut up. He grinned. 'Just like old times..." Now even more so than that morning. He'd run into an old… friend… He wasn't sure he could call him a friend. 'Enemy…? Acquaintance?' Yeah, he'd go with acquaintance. That was probably best.

"Uh. Rukia..." She'd returned her attention to some stupid cartoon (something about rabbits), but turned her attention back to Ichigo when her name had been called. She waited, as he rubbed the back of his neck. He'd always do that when he was nervous. Her eyes narrowed and she waited some more.

"Uh…" he continued, "I ran into an old acquaintance when I was…"

"Awol," she finished for him. She'd had to drive home alone.

"Yeah…" Ichigo mumbled, "Sorry about that." She appraised him. As much as she wished nothing had changed, that wasn't the case anymore. He'd seen things, she hadn't. Done things, she hadn't. And vice versa. It was different. She was finding it hard. She had thought, that when he'd returned, it would be easy, falling back into stride. But now there was so much secrecy. And she understood why. She had kept her fair share of secrets. But Ichigo was the type of guy to implode under that kind of pressure. He'd seen things, done things. Things that bothered him. Even if he was more disciplined…

"Oi!" Ichigo scowled at her. "What the hell is with that pathetic expression on your face?"

She glowered at him. That was what she got for worrying about him. "What the hell are you implying? I'm not the one standing there awkwardly rubbing her neck." Ichigo grimaced. She wasn't. It was hard. He was used to telling her everything. There was so much he wanted to tell her. He sighed. Her expression softened.

"What's up, Ichigo?" she prodded gently. "Who's your friend?"

"Uh… About that… You know him too…" Rukia would be pissed. He met her eyes for a moment. They urged him to continue. He knew she cared, beneath that tough front, after two years. "Uh… You know how I vanished the whole afternoon?" She nodded. "Well… I was investigating something for the guard." She raised her eyebrow. He was just stating the obvious… "Um well… We've been picking up reishi spikes… so I got sent to… um… check it out..."

Rukia stared at him. She was sure he wasn't supposed to be telling her this. "Ichigo…" she began, "It's okay. You don't have to tell me things you aren't supposed to. It's ok-"

"I want to tell you." He really did. Besides, Rukia wouldn't tell anyone. He trusted her. "Rukia… I..."

"It's okay. Tell me whatever you want to tell me. Go on." He smiled softly. Things were finally getting back to normal.

"Right," he continued, "Well. I'm supposed to be investigating these spikes. In case Tsumaru is trying to disrupt what little balance we've managed to restore…"

"He's here?" she wondered aloud. That worried her. The last time Tsumaru had been around, he had managed to wreak havoc a thousand times worse than Ywach had.

Ichigo scowled. "Apparently he is."

He hadn't forgotten that last encounter with Tsumaru anymore than Rukia had. It was part of the reason he'd left for two years.

"_Kurosaki Ichigo," the man smirked, "it's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. I was wondering when you'd show up to save the day."_

_Ichigo scowled. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long bastard. You can get ready to go to hell now!"_

_Twirling his sword, Tsumaru let out a mirthful laugh. "What? Hell? So I could break out again? I've been to hell and back more times than anyone. It's funny how they think they can keep me there. But between you and me," Tsumaru smiled, "people are such idiots, aren't they? Everyone's so easily manipulated. I mean… you… Gabriel… Ywach… You're all so easy to cont-"_

"_And yet, we figured out it was you… Guess we're not so stupid after all." '_

_Another smile. "No. I suppose you're correct. You figured it out didn't you. My master plan. Brilliant though. Don't you think?"_

"_It sucked." Tsumaru laughed at him, unconcerned. The man was beginning to get on his nerves. Although, he had a track record of pushing everyone's buttons just right. "It sucked. We figured it out didn't we? So it must have sucked." _

"_And yet. Kurosaki Ichigo-boy… There's nothing you can do."_

_Ichigo clenched his fist. Tsumaru's eyes glinted knowingly. "I'm starting to get on your nerves, aren't I?" A laugh. He laughed too much. He was too cocky. "Don't worry. Kurosaki Ichigo-boy, I have that effect on a lot of people. Your mother for one. She loathed me." Ichigo's sharp intake of air wasn't missed by Tsumaru. "Oh my. I seem to have hit a nerve. But you already knew… that I knew her. We met right here in fact. Look around. It's beautiful. Isn't it?"_

_And despite himself, Ichigo looked. It was beautiful. Or at least, it would have been, if it hadn't been abandoned for so long. He could imagine it; a garden beneath, his mother overlooking it as a child, from the balcony (where he stood now), smiling; playing hide-and-seek. The columns which should have risen up magnificently to support said balcony were crumbling. The structure itself was tilted, unstable as though it would fall any moment. Yet, there was a beauty. _

"_Admiring the view, are we?" Ichigo glared at Tsumaru. What was he doing – staring at flowers which no longer bloomed; which would never bloom again. "You're wondering why you're staring at flowers instead of fighting me, aren't you?" Ichigo's eyes narrowed. Did this guy ever stop laughing? A smile again. "No. You see, Kurosaki Ichigo-boy, laughter is good for the soul."_

_'Dammit… Damn him to hell. What is he doing?'_

"_Would you like me to tell you?" Tsumaru nodded. "You see. Ywach sees the future. It's a powerful gift. To know what's coming before it comes. But does that mean you can react if something changes in the last minute before it happens? No. And the future changes, far too frequently. It's changed so many times. And yet, I control the outcome. So does it matter to me? No."_

"_GETSUGA TENSHOU!" A black pulse of reiatsu radiated from Ichigo's sword. It wasn't anywhere near as strong as it normally would have been (he was tired), but the few pillars standing amidst the ruined structure vaporized. "Sorry. About that… Maybe, you shouldn't take my silence as a yes next time," Ichigo growled. "I don't give a damn what your stinkin' power is… I'm gonna prot-"_

"_Protect my nakama no matter what," Tsumaru mocked. _

_Swiveling around Ichigo was met with a kick to the face. He landed some hundreds of meters away. And before even he could react, Tsumaru closed his hand around Ichigo's throat, lifting him so his feet dangled a foot or so off the ground. "Didn't your mother ever tell you it was rude to interrupt? Though she was always quite rude to me… The bitch." _

"_Gah!" __Ichigo screamed as Tsumaru caught his fist and crushed it with his free hand. He couldn't feel it anymore. Tsumaru hadn't only broken his bones. He'd crushed them into a fine powder. Ichigo doubted, (even as rage coursed through his veins), that he'd be able to use it for a while to come. Normally his determination was enough to keep him going. Determination and rage in this case. But he was tired. The battle with Ywach had depleted almost all of his reiatsu…_

_H__ow he wished he could wipe the cheshire grin off Tsumaru's face. __And at that Tsumaru only smiled more broadly. He struggled some more to no avail, before falling silent. _

"_Are we done, Kurosaki Ichigo-boy?" Ichigo said nothing, and Tsumaru__'s grip around his neck tightened. His legs flailed helplessly. His grip continued to tighten. Ichigo was sure his windpipe had been crushed. Tsumaru gave no indication of releasing his vice-grip anytime soon. "I said, are we done, Kurosaki Ichigo-boy. I expect an answer when I ask a question." _

_Still he said nothing. 'Kill me. Tsumaru. But I won't say a damn th-" _

_There was a sharp pain in his abdomen where Tsumaru had run him through with his blade. __Ripping it out, __he plunged it into Ichigo's shoulder. Blood seeped from Ichigo's already bloody stomach. __Groaning as Tsumaru ripped the blade from his shoulder and plunged it into his neck, Ichigo closed his eyes. The blood loss was getting to him… But he couldn't give up… He had to protect…_

"_You couldn't protect a goddamn fly in your current state." _

"_Getsuga… ten-" A fist connected with his jaw. _

"_Now then, you're going to listen to me, Kurosaki Ichigo-boy."_

**–**

**A/N: **Again, I don't normally do author's notes… but seeing as I haven't updated in a ridiculously long time, I figured it would be a good idea if I did. No, this story is very obviously NOT on hiatus or discontinued. That said, I cannot promise regular updates. That also said, I'd like to apologize for being absent for so long; I was in my senior year of high school last year, worrying about university acceptances and what-not, and life wasn't being very cooperative. I had a lot going on. Sorry about that. Now the story can continue, although maybe not as regularly as anyone would like. On the bright side, there can be some more continuity with the actual BLEACH storyline now. Which pleases me.

A few grammatical errors present in the first few have been corrected.

(Yes… I enjoy screwing with Ichigo's mental state.)


	4. Turn Back the Pendulum II

****Disclaimer: ****As always, I don't own BLEACH or Twilight.

****Notes:****

_Flashbacks are in italics._

**_**Thoughts which Edward reads are in bold and italicized.**_**

****Japanese is in bold. Basically when anyone speaks Japanese, text is rendered in bold. The text will be in English, the bold font simply alerts the reader to the fact that whatever is being said is in reality being spoken in Japanese. If the dialogue is being spoken when only Japanese speakers are present, it can be assumed that the dialogue is Japanese. ****

Set during Eclipse (follows the story closely in the beginning then branches away towards the end).

**–**

**IV. Turn Back the Pendulum II (Bloody Pendulum)**

**– **

"_Now then, you're going to listen to me, Kurosaki Ichigo-boy."_

_Ichigo lay in a crumpled heap on the cracked marble floors of the once magnificent balcony. Blood dribbled from his mouth and seeped much more vigorously from his numerous other lacerations. His arm spasmed involuntarily. The small of his two swords lay a few feet away, but still out of reach. Half of the larger one protruded from a pillar. Its hilt lay on the floor adjacent to the column. Tsumaru had beat him within an inch of death. 'Dammit all… I can't move… I need to move…'_

_He needed to. 'Come on… Come on… Mo-' _

_Appearing from seemingly nowhere, Tsumaru had thrown him against a wall. He couldn't feel his body anymore. If his head hadn't been limp, forcing him to stare at nothing but the ground, he might not have even noticed the blade through his chest, __which held him against the wall, nothing more than a decoration. __And for a long while, Ichigo hung somewhere in between consciousness and unconsciousness; between life and death. Unable to move, barely able to breathe, flitting in and out of consciousness. _

_He didn't know how long it had been when he came to. But Tsumaru had been waiting, "Are you ready to listen Kurosaki Ichigo-boy," and at that point, he knew that Tsumaru wasn't really looking for an answer. He would have beat him to death even if he'd answered in the first place. 'Bastard…'_

"_You really oughta learn your manners, Kurosaki Ichigo-boy," he chuckled. "__But that was fun, wasn't it? I had fun…" he paused, "Sadly, playtime's gotta come to an end sooner or later. Too much fun's not good for anyone. That which is harmless… good even… in small doses… can be toxic." _

_'Then kill me… Finish it.' _

"_Hmm…" Tsumaru inquired childishly, "kill you? I don't want to kill you Kurosaki Ichigo-boy. I had so much fun with you, that not only am I going to let you live, but I'm also going to let you in on a little something… It'll be our secret, okay, Kurosaki Ichigo-boy? __You see… I'm not a bad person. It's everyone else who's bad… What do I mean?__" __A chuckle. "As much as you try to hide it, you're curious. But never fear. Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back again. Let me illuminate you..." _

_Striding over to a nearby pillar Tsumaru inhaled deeply. "Once upon a time, this place was beautiful. You're right. There used to be a garden below here. The air was constantly filled with the aromas of different flowers from all over. It was a long time ago… __in an era before the Soul King even existed.__" __Ichigo lifted his head up with some effort. And for once, there was no cheshire grin – just a smile._

"_You know, Kurosaki Ichigo-boy… those were peaceful times… And yet… Everyone was so corrupt. But of course, nobody saw it. Nobody except me…" he growled. "I saw through all of them. I saw the truth. I could read their thoughts. Know what they were thinking… It was sickening… The world was a disgusting place." _

_The smirk returned. "But __I suppose he who increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow. And now… I suppose…__ you know something too of knowledge… And of sorrow… So maybe. I should just kill you, eh, Kurosaki Ichigo-boy, and end it… End the suffering. Hmm. What d'ya say?"_

Ichigo awoke panting, a hand on his chest, atop the scar… If, it could be called a scar. He thought of it more as a hole which had been filled up just enough to look normal, but not enough to hide the fact that there was once a hole. It was just that. A hole, which had been filled up over three long years. The first year, he spent unconscious, and for a good part, he'd been told, hovering somewhere between existence and non-existence, hooked up to a series of machines. One of them had kept blood circulating through his veins; doing what a person couldn't do without a heart.

And then he'd woken up. And he'd ran away. Because he couldn't face them. He sat up. Running away… he was always running away nowadays. There was too much, he thought, which he couldn't face just yet. Too much of it he didn't understand; there were so many missing pieces. Although, he supposed everyone was confused. But he ran away and he was the only one. It was why his relationship with Rukia was so strange. She had forgiven him, yes. But she was hurt. After everything, he'd ran away. Clenching his fists, he gritted his teeth. He had screwed up. 'Goddammit…'

He didn't care that they'd told him it was good that he'd ran away. He should've stayed. Helped rebuild. Even worse, they'd made it look like he'd died. Like one tragic night, the damage to his body had been too severe. That it finally broke under the strain. It had been Urahara's idea. After Unohana had died, he and Mayuri (though, neither were really suitable for the position), had stepped in to take her place.

"_My, my, Kurosaki-san," Urahara tipped his hat, "It's been a year since anyone has seen you. It would seem you've changed quite a bit."_

_Ichigo raised the larger of Zangetsu's two blades, silent. Urahara smiled, "Are you going to eliminate me, Kurosaki-san?__" _

_Unmoving still, Ichigo lowered Zangetsu a few inches. For a moment he paused, appraising Zangetsu, then Urahara, as if trying to size Urahara up, wondering how he would fare if he were to rush with abandon. He sighed. Urahara always had something up his sleeve. "Will you tell, Urahara-san?" _

"_No," he chuckled softly. "You see Kurosaki-san, everyone thinks you're dead." _

_Eyes widening, Ichigo clutched Zangetsu more firmly. "W-what… the hell!?" _

"_Poor, Kurosaki-san. Did you think that because nobody found you that you had hidden yourself away masterfully?" Urahara inquired tipping his hat some more. "Nobody found you, because nobody was looking for you. Nobody hunts for a dead ma-"_

"_Getsuga tenshou!" Dodging the black pulse of reiatsu which blew off half the cliff behind him, Urahara punched Ichigo, fell backwards from the recoil, square in the jaw. He went for another strike, but Urahara already had Benihime __to his throat._

"_I take it back. You haven't changed a bit. Reckless as ever, __Kurosaki-san." He wasn't smiling anymore; looked angry even. "I didn't fake your death so you could mess it up and alert everyone as to your… presence. Nor should you want to. You ran away. You abandoned everyone, Kurosaki-san." Closely watching Ichigo's expression change from one of rage to __one__ frustration to __one of despair. _

"_Urahara-san, I..." he struggled to find the right words, "I coul__dn__-"_

"_You don't have to explain yourself to me, Kurosaki-san," he stated plainly, sheathing Benihime and turning his back to the young man. "I could care less, your motivations for leaving. But… __I think it is in your best interest if you remain dead." Eying the expression on Ichigo's face, he added, "Even if you don't like it."_

"_I don't understand..." _

"_When the __he__ro has fallen, the cycle is broken.__ Let the clouds not revolve idly in the sky," _Urahara had told him. He knew now, what that meant. 'Let Tsumaru think he was dead… Let him not know. Let him believe that he had succeeded in breaking the cycle...'

"Urahara-san," he wondered aloud before lying back down and letting a restless sleep overtake him, "What do you mean by hero?"

When he awoke again, his clock read six'o'clock. It was still too early to go to school, but too late to go back to sleep, so he made his way downstairs instead, careful to not wake Rukia, who was probably still sleeping, or their uninvited guest. As much as he wanted to beat the guy into a pulp, Grimmjow needed to rest. He'd found him beaten to a pulp near the meadow where the reiatsu spikes were coming from. Gazing out the window, Ichigo wondered if maybe he was worrying over nothing.

The spikes may just have been Grimmjow. 'But what the hell would he be doing that produced such a strange signal?' He'd seen the reports; it didn't make any sense.

"Fuck…" he muttered making his way to Grimmjow's room. He needed answers. 'What the fuck is going on?'

Shoving the door open, Ichigo stood face to face with a bloodied Grimmjow. The injuries he'd sustained were ugly-looking, but superficial. None of them would kill him. "You seem to be doing better," Ichigo commented lightly, hoping to start a conversation.

Grimmjow grunted in response.

Their relationship wasn't exactly what he'd call fantastic, especially because Grimmjow had once been his enemy, though they'd paired up now and again in the past two years. 'Mutual incentive…' he thought.

"So..." he continued. "What the hell happened to you?"

"I don't believe that's any of yer fucking business."

Ichigo scowled, "I saved you, so know you owe me."

His house guest said nothing. Running a hand through his hair, Ichigo exhaled deeply. This would be harder than he wanted it to be.

"What do you want to know…?" growled Grimmjow.

'Or…' Ichigo thought taken aback, 'Maybe not so hard…' At least he was getting somewhere.

"Was it you?" he asked.

Grimmjow snorted. "Was what me? You ask really shitty questions, know that?"

Ichigo's expression darkened considerably. "You know what I'm asking, Grimmjow… Don't make me repeat myself..." He wasn't in the mood.

"What?" Grimmjow let out a bark like laugh. "Don't want your partner finding out what's happening? Didn't she know everything about you, once upon a time? Or does she want nothing to do with you…? You did abandon her after all..."

Gritting his teeth, Ichigo balled his fists. It was taking all his self-control to not smack Grimmjow through a wall. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he spoke. "Listen here bastard, I could kill you… very easily." His voice shook. "So don't fu-"

"Don't be absurd. You need me alive, Ichigo. You know that. I know that," Grimmjow sat himself up. "So let's not play this stupid game..."

"I'll stop if you stop," Ichigo replied through gritted teeth.

Grimmjow stared at him for a moment. "Right..." he said thoughtfully, "It wasn't me… I was wondering about the spikes too. Figured I'd come to this shithole and investigate."

"And you found something?" prodded Ichigo.

He wondered if he should tell Ichigo. Pissing the kid off had a certain appeal. 'Maybe that's why Tsumaru's taken such an interest in you… Sorry kid… but you're fun to mess with…'

"Grimmjow," Ichigo interrupted his stream of conscience. "Did you find something?"

The teal-haired man lay back down. "Yeah… Limit was here… On the other side I mean… I managed to make it here before he could kick my ass a bit more."

"So… Tsumaru..." Ichigo trailed off.

"Yeah… he's interested in something here for sure."

**–**

****A/N: ******Yes. There are OCs in this story. If anyone was wondering.**


	5. Surprise

****Disclaimer: ****As always, I don't own BLEACH or Twilight.

****Notes:****

_Flashbacks are in italics._

**_**Thoughts which Edward reads are in bold and italicized.**_**

****Japanese is in bold. Basically when anyone speaks Japanese, text is rendered in bold. The text will be in English, the bold font simply alerts the reader to the fact that whatever is being said is in reality being spoken in Japanese.****

Set during Eclipse (follows the story closely in the beginning then branches away towards the end).

**–**

**V. Surprise**

**– **

"_Edward," _Carlisle had pulled him aside earlier that morning, _"Keep an eye on the__m__. You've seen the papers." _

Carlisle must have found the news as troubling as he did to pull him aside as he had. Normally, their communications were much more one-sided than they'd appear to be. He could read minds after all. 'But not their minds…' he thought. 'Why can't I read your minds… What are you…?'

At any rate he supposed, he had at least managed to acquaint himself with one of the newcomers. Kurosaki Ichigo was guarded, but he was sure he could get some dirt on them. It wasn't so bad, he decided, to be able to read the minds of his peers sometimes; useful even.

_That new girl is hot._

'Or…' Edward groaned internally, 'Maybe not… so useful.' He should have known that listening in on Mike Newton's thoughts was probably not the best course of action. The boy was rarely focused on anything, he'd consider important; and then far too focused on Bella for his liking.

Edward glanced around the bustling, but sill vacant parking lot. Almost everybody had arrived; but a few minutes remained until the bell, and slowly that last few students were pulling into the lot, filling up the many spaces remaining. Forks high school was not a large high school. Very few people lived in Forks. It was the kind of town where everybody knew everybody. Newcomers always stirred up rumors. There was bound to be somebody who knew something about the new kids.

Their absence had certainly not been missed by the majority of the school population who eagerly awaited the black Mazda – them with excitement, Edward with apprehension. _Edward, _Alice called out to him, _I still can't see them. I don't know where they are. _Instinctively, he pulled Bella closer towards him, who looked up questioningly. "What's wrong?"

He wasn't sure if he wanted to tell her or not. Alice's vision the day before had not gone unnoticed by her. Bella was very perceptive. 'A side effect of associating with vampires and werewolves.' And despite himself, he smiled. Bella was very perceptive. Surely, keeping more secrets from her wouldn't fare well in the long run. She'd figure it out, and then she'd be angry. Then again, they were going away that weekend. It would probably be enough to distract her from all the madness in Forks.

"What is it, Edward?" Bella asked again. An edge of impatience tinged her words, yet he couldn't blame her. The whole affair with Jacob had already put ample strain on their relationship. He sighed. "Carlisle is concerned about the newcomers."

"What?" she wondered apprehensively, "Does he think they're some kind of trouble? Something bad?"

"Relax, Bella. I won't let anyone hurt you, I promise."

"Edw-" But before she could protest, Edward's mind was assaulted with the thoughts of his peers.

_Another new car?_

_Do we have another new student? _

_Sick car! _

He swiveled his head towards the parking lot entrance. Following his gaze, Bella turned her head just in time to watch as a teal blue car with tinted windows, roared into the parking lot. Evidently the owner had thought it was a good idea to disable its silencer. Even with the silencer on, the car was easily the most ostentatious vehicle she had seen. She didn't know much about cars, but catching the expressions on Emmett's and Jasper's faces, she figured it must have been some ride.

Even Rosalie was admiring it.

"Bugatti Veyron," Edward whispered in her ear; not that it meant anything to her.

She stared anyways. The driver's steering was as attention-grabbing as his vehicle. Sharply turning the corner of the parking lot closest to where the Cullen's were parked, the driver screeched to a halt at a spot not far from they were. A group of curious bystanders had already began gathering around.

And the owner of the Bugatti whatever, did not displease, Bella thought.

The door flew open so suddenly, that a few students jumped back in alarm. His hair matched the color of his car. And students excitedly bombarded him with questions.

The Cullens transfixed by another newcomer, didn't notice, or chose to ignore the black Mazda MX-5 which pulled silently into the parking lot.

"I fucking told him," Ichigo grumbled, "to pick something less eye-catching!" Rukia sighed. It wasn't exactly like Ichigo's choice of car was any less flashy in a manner of speaking. He'd managed to attract almost as much attention as Grimmjow. 'Although,' she supposed, 'Anything not falling apart would probably attract some amount of attention in this place…'

She watched as the throng of students bombarded Grimmjow with questions. It wasn't his car that bothered her. "Ichigo?"

"Hmm?" he replied, too busy watching Grimmjow and Cullens to be paying much attention to anything else.

"Do you think… Grimmjow is up to this… you know… the whole school thing?"

Throwing her a sideways glance, he sighed. "He doesn't have to be up to it. He just has to not screw this up too badly. At any rate…" he decided, eyeing the Cullens who were focused intently on Grimmjow, "It's probably good in some ways. He's a pretty good distraction."

Rukia nodded in agreement as the bell rang, and the throng of students dispersed trudging towards their classes. Grimmjow lost among them. He'd have to go to the office to pick up his schedule. 'The guard are very well connected," she mused. They'd managed to make arrangements for a third transfer overnight.

"C'mon, Ichigo, we better get to class."

He nodded, exiting the car, umbrella held over his head. She grabbed her own and followed suite. First period was biology.

Ichigo disappeared from sight, making his way to PE. Grimmjow would meet him there.

–

They were playing volleyball again. He was on a team with Edward; it hardly seemed fair. Grinning, he sent the ball hurtling down towards Mike Newton who dived for it and missed.

"Nice one," Edward smiled.

"Thanks," he replied. "You're pretty good yourself. Too bad I can't say the same for the rest of these guys, huh?"

Edward laughed. "I suppose not. But I think they're getting better, don't you think so?"

"Maybe when they've got a couple more centuries of experience."

Edward's laughter ceased. 'Well, well, well. Would you look at that? Guess you do have a nerve, huh, Cullen?' It wasn't much to go on, but it was certainly something. Any dirt would be good; it was part of his mandate. 'Stupid fucking mandate.' It wasn't them. But he didn't have a choice. Katashi would throw another fit. He glanced at Edward, whose jaw was suddenly taut and sighed. It wasn't them.

"Hey, Cullen, you okay? It was just a joke."

Relaxing his expression, Edward forced a grin. "Yeah, don't worry about it. Just the way you said it. It was like you suggested that people could live for centuries."

"That's crazy," offered Ichigo.

"Sure is," Edward nodded. But it wasn't. And Edward surely wouldn't let it go; nor was he. It wasn't crazy. He'd met people who'd lived for centuries. He was almost sure now, that the Cullens were centuries old. Grimmjow was centuries old. 'Speaking of Grimmjow… where the hell is he?'

They'd agreed that he'd meet up with him in PE. Well, Katashi had decided for them. The guard had decided for them.

Grimmjow's name was to be Hyo Aoiro. Ichigo agreed on that much. 'Dammit Grimmjow, you had better not mess this up…'

"Hey," Edward smirked. "You okay?"

Ichigo laughed nervously. "Yeah. Look at us, getting all freaked out for no reason."

"So," Edward mused, "Guess we're both freaks?"

"Definitely…" a wry smile was plastered on Ichigo's face. At least the guy had a sense of humor. Better than nothing. He wasn't the most open; but he wasn't the most guarded. 'Guess you'll be wanting some dirt on me too…'

"So," Edward began. "The newcomer from this morning. You wouldn't happen to know him, would you?"

'So you are trying to get dirt on me…' And yet, thought Ichigo, 'You seem harmless…' He watched Edward's expression for a moment. 'You really seem harmless…'

"Yeah… That's Hyo." Katashi was already pissed. 'And he'll be pissed regardless. Might as well share… Might make it easier for you to confide in me, Cullen…'

"Hyo Aoiro?" Ichigo faltered at Edward's question.

He hadn't spoken to Grimmjow yet. 'So how do you know his name?'

Ichigo frowned, concern knitted in his brow. "Uh, yeah…"

"What's the matter, Ichigo?"

"Nothing… I was just wondering how you knew his name… I mean his full name."

Cringing in realization, Edward forced a toothy smile. "Guess I heard somebody say it this morning. Nice ca-"

Ichigo's phone rang.


	6. Sakura Corporation

**Disclaimer: **As always, I don't own BLEACH or Twilight.

**Notes:**

_Flashbacks are in italics._

_**Thoughts which Edward reads are in bold and italics.**_

**Japanese is in bold. Basically when anyone speaks Japanese, text is rendered in bold. The text will be in English; the bold font simply alerts the reader to the fact that whatever is being said in reality is being spoken in Japanese.**

Set during Eclipse (follows the story closely in the beginning then branches away towards the end).

**VI. Sakura Corporation**

Ichigo glared at his phone. 'Katashi again…'

He was beginning to wonder if the stoic man's only job was to check up on him. Not that it would surprise him – the Guard did not trust easily, and were very quick to become suspicious. His escapades with the Ajanlar did nothing to help his standing either. A sigh escaped his lips as he noticed Edward watching curiously from the corner of his eye. 'Sorry, ya coot… I'm finally getting somewhere with your stupid goose chase…'

Disconnecting the call, and removing the charm (at a speed he hoped was too quick for Cullen to discern), he smiled, "Stupid telemarketers…"

Edward flashed him a brilliant grin, "Those are the worst."

And though Ichigo didn't believe for a moment that he'd fooled his acquaintance, never let the smile leave his face. It was another trick he'd picked up over the course of his two-year, self-imposed exile from the Soul Society. The tactic was simple enough. 'Feigned disinterest sparks more disinterest,' he recalled Urahara saying. In other words, he grimaced internally, 'Pretending as though nothing happened is the best way to sweep anything and everything under the rug.'

Although, he doubted Cullen would let it go; he supposed he wouldn't either.

"You were saying about his car?" Ichigo prompted.

Edward nodded, "Bugatti Veyron. It's a flashy car. Not everyone can afford something like that. Your friend doesn't happen to be a billionaire, does he?"

Ichigo wanted to rip Grimmjow's head from his body. He had specifically told him not to get anything too flashy. 'Well… he didn't get a flashy car,' Ichigo supposed, fuming. 'He got the fucking flashiest car on the goddamn market. Damn him to hell.'

"Ah, yeah…" the orange-haired teen rubbed the back of his uncomfortably, "His dad's the CEO of a multi-billion-dollar business back home."

"Really," Edward pried, "Have I heard of it?"

"Maybe," Ichigo shrugged turning around hoping to evade Cullen's sickeningly smug look. "Sakura Corporation?" he lied, praying Byakuya wouldn't mind. Thankfully, Edward seemed surprised.

"Sakura Corporation?" he questioned, "The one run by Byakuya Kuchiki?"

'Fuck!' Ichigo berated himself. He'd forgotten he was with Rukia – who just so happened to share her last name with the head of "Sakura Corporation" (which in truth was just a means by which the Soul Society could monitor activities in the world of the living). 'I'm so fucked…'

"Yeah…" he muttered. "The same one… Hyo is Rukia's adopted brother."

Rolling his eyes at himself, Ichigo stuffed his gym shoes into his bag. 'Well… since I'm digging my grave, I might as well commit.'

"I see," came the simple response. 'Carlisle mentioned something about Sakura Corporation…' Edward mused internally. 'I'll have to discuss this with him tonight. No doubt he's lying about something… But what?' It frustrated him to no end not being able to read minds. Not being able to read Bella's he could tolerate if for no other reason than he trusted her. For the newcomers, he couldn't say the same. Their motivations remained mystery to his entire family; Alice, who could not read their minds, Jasper, who could not read their emotions, and he, who could not read their thoughts were left wholly in the dark regarding their recent acquaintances.

More than frustrating he supposed, it scared him. Some instinct long repressed in him screamed at him. He could not fight the orange-haired teen standing before him, and win.

Said teenager cleared his throat. "Uh, you okay, Cullen?"

Edward paused, hesitating. 'It couldn't hurt to tell him… Maybe he'll give something more away…'

"My father's told me about Sakura Corporation… Maybe you know him?" Edward asked expectantly. "Carlisle Cullen?"

Ichigo shook his head. "Never heard of him… I'll ask Rukia and Hyo about him…" A pause – "Speaking of which… I should probably go find Hyo… He has a tendency to find trouble…"

He could only pray Grimmjow had not yet exposed their entire mission. Cullen and Katashi would have to wait.

Edward watched Ichigo's retreating back with interest. Carlisle had definitely mentioned Sakura Corporation – but in itself, the Corporation didn't seem to be anything sinister. He remembered Carlisle having ordered doctored documents (social security numbers and the like), from the company. They dabbled in such ventures, and the higher-ups of the organization were no doubt very well off as a result.

That wasn't what nagged at him. Rather, the profiles of the newcomers didn't match the profiles of any other super-well-to-do teenagers he'd had the displeasure of encountering. Those kids had a distinct aura about them – the aura one exuded when one had never worked for anything in one's life. It wasn't the case with the newcomers. 'The opposite in fact,' – they exuded the aura of having never gotten any hand-outs.

_**Edward**_, he heard Alice calling him. _**Where are you? I'm getting worried. I can't see you when you're with him, remember? **_He sighed – he hadn't meant to worry her, and stuffing the remainder of his belongings into his bag, he made his way to the cafeteria. There was much to discuss.

Ichigo and Rukia were nowhere in sight when he entered the cafeteria. His family and Bella however, stared up expectantly at him. Not wanting to break the façade they'd put on for two years, and several times before, he grabbed an apple before joining them at their table.

"Where were you Edward?" Alice demanded instantly.

He rolled his eyes. "I was with Ichigo."

"I had no idea," she replied venomously. "I mean, what were you doing with him."

"We were just talking, Alice."

"Did you figure anything out?" Bella interrupted. Edward smiled taking his seat beside her. She had never been one for frivolous small-talk – it was one of the reasons he loved her.

"Well, Alice," she gazed intently at him. "He claims that Rukia and Hyo are adoptive siblings of Byakuya Kuchiki."

Alice frowned. "Why does that name ring a bell?"

"We've ordered falsified documents from them before… You know, social security numbers, birth certificates, the like," he added for Bella's benefit.

"Are they here to collect?" Emmett smirked, hoping to pick a fight with the teal-haired man. "They better hope they pack as much of a punch as their wallets do." He laughed boisterously. Rosalie elbowed him sharply in the ribs, hissing.

"We don't know what they're capable of, Emmett." A worried expression came over her. "We know they aren't normal. They're immune to our powers."

Her husband scoffed. "Who cares, babe. There's no way they could take on a vampire and win."

"I don't know about that," Edward murmured, pensive again.

Bella looked at him alarmed. "You think they could be stronger than you guys?"

"I don't know…" How he hated being able to read minds. Alice and Jasper's frustration meshed with his own. It made him want to destroy the closest thing in sight.

'_**Is it possible?' **_Rosalie wondered worriedly. She looked at him. '_**Could they really be stronger than us, Edward? And if so… what are they?'**_

Edward didn't want to explore all the possibilities. He glanced down at Bella who stared up at him expectantly. Once again, he'd put her in harm's way. 'How could I have let this happen...'

**.**

**.**

**.**

Ichigo glared at Grimmjow. **"What the hell is wrong with you!?"**

The Arrancar waved him away dismissively. **"This school crap is fucking boring, Ichigo… I don't know how the hell you do it, but I can't." **

"**We had a deal, Grimmjow." **Ichigo growled back. **"I don't trust you to leave you alone. So you'd better fucking play along."**

"**Or what?"** Grimmjow taunted. **"You'll kill me?" **he chuckled darkly. **"You ain't got the fucking balls, Kurosaki. Besides, I'm a valuable asset to you right now."**

"**What makes you say that?"**

"**Well, ya see, if those reishi signatures that have been popping up around here really is Limit," **a smirk came over the teal-haired man's face, **"I'm willing to bet that Tsumaru's sent the welcoming committee after you."**

"**What of it?" **Ichigo muttered through clenched teeth.

"**Well… if something were to happen to you… then who would protect your little girlfriend?" **Grimmjow laughed sadistically.

Ichigo scowled, not relinquishing his vice-grip on the Arrancar's throat. **"Limit's beef is with me – not her."**

Grimmjow only laughed harder. **"And ya think that's gonna stop him from killing her!? Yer a fucking joke, Ichigo! Limit's fucking crazier than me. He'll rip her limb from limb. Quite an image, ain't it?"**

His grip tightened. **"Shut up, Grimmjow! Even if what you say is true, why should I trust your word!? For all I know, you could be the one behind the reishi spikes!"**

A grin – **"Guess you'll just have to believe me! You don't have much choice here, now do ya!?"**

He didn't. Grimmjow fell to the ground, smiling, Ichigo nowhere in sight.

**A/N: **Another year long hiatus… Wow. I'm sorry guys. I've just been begin lame excuse super busy with life, and college, and work. I had lost motivation in the middle to write anything at all, to be honest, but I'm back now with a clearer idea of where I want to take this end lame excuse. I'm super sorry for not updating in forever. Thank you so much to all those who followed/favorited/reviewed; if not for the overwhelming positive response this story has received; I don't know that I would have bothered continuing this story after so long.


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